While marketers focus on social and mobile marketing, new research has shown that it is television advertising that generates prolonged word-of-mouth and drives the most significant web traffic.

According to research commissioned by marketing effectiveness consultancy Data2Decisions and Thinkbox, the marketing body for commercial TV in the U.K., television advertising is responsible for over half (51%) of brand word-of-mouth.

Overall, 72% of brand conversations were found to be driven by paid media and, despite today's focus on social media, 90% of brand conversations took place offline, either by phone or in person.

"Paid advertising's causal effect is often overlooked with too much emphasis put on what is easily counted or highly visible," said Neil Mortensen, Research and Planning Director, Thinkbox. "This research has revealed for the first time what actually stimulates people's brand conversations and it is clear that investment in advertising - and especially TV - is key to getting people to talk about your brand positively.